Tuesday, July 3, 2012

TEXT PLAY: Legend of Mana (PlayStation; 2000): Issue #17: A More Normal Course


With the first Elazul quest out of the way, I'm on a more normal course for the way I usually play this game. Things could get a bit interesting here, folks.

So, this time around, we'll be using the Stone Eye artifact to go to a place called Lake Kilma. The place kind of reminds me of Oakwood Lakes State Park, one of my favorites. This is usually where I first run into Captain Tusk and his Pirate Penguins. And yes, I know I used the Werewolf joke on the character once already. It fits better here, and I'm still likely to use it if and more likely when we run into him again.

But anyway, this time, we're out to save this merry band of morons from some sort of eyeball monster thing that turns people into stone with an eyeball laser. Before we get started on that, though, I should say that I've been messing around looking for other quests, because everywhere else I go, there are hints of such things. But that's for another time. For now, I'm gonna see what's ripened on the tree in the back yard and go on with the dungeon.

For fruit, we got two Cabadillos, two CitrisSquids, an Apricat, something called a Bumpkin, which looks like a jack-o-lantern, and just in time for the Fourth of July, Cherry Bombs. Much as I wish those could be used as weapons, they're food for pets and items to use in forging. Quite the bounty this time. I guess the running around helps sometimes. But anyway, it's time to head to the lake and help the Pirate Penguins be dumbasses.

This is actually a fairly simple quest as well, as the Penguins will pretty much show you along the path you're supposed to follow to get to the quest's boss. Like I said, they'd been fucking around at Lake Kilma, looking for some sort of treasure. Turns out that the treasure they were after belonged to the local Faerie population, who had an enchanted item that let them turn folks into stone. That item was linked to the monster they worshiped as a god, and I had to kick the crap out of to save everybody.

Along the way, we meet and save this turtle guy who's actually a tortoise and casts a spell to let us see the Faeries that live around the lake. Along the way, the Faeries that we can see now tell us that they think they'll die if this monster they call their master is killed and the don't like humans because they think, in this case, that penguins are a kind of human.

Eventually, we find our way to the top of a cliff where Tusk throws what few of his crew haven't been turned to stone by the Faeries or the monster, called Gorgon, off the cliff. The Faerie who was threatening them says that Tusk has to sacrifice himself to Gorgon too. Of course, Tusk tries to bargain his way out, but the Faerie turns him to stone and he falls off the cliff himself.

The tortoise shows up and says something that scares the Faerie off, and then suggests that I go after Tusk and his crew. Geronimo, I guess. Too bad there's no way back to the top of the cliff. The tortoise follows us down.

At the bottom of the cliff, the Penguins are all in a panic because Tusk has been turned to stone along with about three quarters of the other Penguins. Tortoise starts telling us about the area's master, which makes the Penguins even more scared. What's worse is that just when you might be expecting a Yoda vs. Dooku sort of thing or a little Ninja Turtle action, he actually turns the matter over to the hero after throwing Tusk into the lake so that the Penguins go in and rescue him.

Fortunately, Gorgon isn't a particularly hard fight even when I do it when I normally do it, and in this case, it was even easier because I'm considerably stronger.

With the Gorgon gone, the quest ends with the hero getting the Firefly Lamp from somebody and the Pirate Penguin team going back to their ship after Tortoise out of the area.

As I said, there's a lot of hinting at other quests and missions that don't necessarily require planting new artifacts. I think I might make my next issue in this series another one about just running around, seeing what happens. Seems like it's been awhile since I've intentionally done that, but I'll have to decide as things go along. I guess that's something we'll all find out together, right?

Until then, have fun, stay safe, and keep on gaming, dear friends.

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